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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish the fashion to own working breed dogs would pass?

151 replies

PlayOnWurtz · 08/01/2017 17:17

My local rescues seem to be full of collies, huskies, corgi's and spitz breeds of around 2 years of age. These are the current dogs of the day because they are extremely cute and handsome dogs however it seems people buy them without realising how much effort is required to own them.

I'm in no way having a dig at responsible owners at all. More the ones who love a meme and an instagram post without thinking of the consequences.

OP posts:
minisoksmakehardwork · 08/01/2017 17:23

I'm totally with you. I'm not a fan of dogs but next door have the most beautiful border collie. However, even I recognise that he needs walking every day, maybe twice a day, rain or shine. Not when they can be bothered. It also needs training and playing with rather than just shoving outside on his own in the back garden. But he is still a lovely dog for all their faults with him.

WhooooAmI24601 · 08/01/2017 17:24

Friends of ours (lovely people) bought a collie last summer. They both work full time and live in a quiet, residential area with small gardens and close-by neighbours. The dog is an absolute nut job. Beautiful, smart but totally wild because she is bored out of her mind. They've had to get a dog walker in twice a day to take her out just so she doesn't destroy their whole house; she's tunnelled under their fences and caused so much damage to the neighbours gardens, she's eaten the kitchen floor and cupboards. In short, she needs to work, she needs to be outdoors and she needs to be kept busy.

I think some people forget to do much research when buying a dog. We have a rescue spaniel and I was totally naive when we got her and had no idea that spaniels are similar in that they're bright dogs in need of a lot of exercise and stimulation. Fortunately we're in the position to give her what she needs. But many people (myself included) see a sad pair of eyes and get swept up in a wave of "oh I want that one".

ludothedog · 08/01/2017 17:25

I work in the community visiting people in their homes. I'm shocked at the amount of collies in particular that people have as pets. I just know that they are not getting the stimulation that they require to be happy, locked in all day with only a short walk once in the day, if at all. It's so sad.

charlestrenet · 08/01/2017 17:27

Huskies have been popular with the junkies and neds round here for a couple of years - they seem to have overtaken staffies in the street status symbol list.

Soubriquet · 08/01/2017 17:27

It makes me cross when people get Huskies and Malumutes and completely underestimate how much exercise these dogs need

thenewaveragebear1983 · 08/01/2017 17:31

We had a golden retriever which was reddy brown not white, we later learned this was a 'working' breed and he was such incredibly hard work. In the end we rehomed him through the golden retriever trust because he really needed to be a gun dog not a pet- it was heartbreaking but we just couldn't give him what he needed. I agree op that people should be better aware, myself included.

LumelaMme · 08/01/2017 17:35

Agree about huskies.

We have a working-bred dog. He's lovely, but he's hard work.

Border collies do vary, but even the pet-bred ones tend to need a lot of exercise.

Some people I know rehomed a spaniel they'd acquired as a cute puppy: they realised they couldn't give the dog what it needed, and found it a more suitable family.

EssentialHummus · 08/01/2017 17:37

God yes, the craze for huskies... Presumably the yobbos will go full circle and come back to German Shepards next.

NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom · 08/01/2017 17:40

Unfortunately not enough people actually research the breed before purchasing.
I also always say to anyone thinking of dog ownership that they should make themselves go out for a decent walk every day for a couple of months beforehand come rain or shine, gives you a basic idea on if you could deal with the demands of dogs.

toboldlygo · 08/01/2017 17:42

The husky fad is hopefully on the way out (and I say that as a husky owner). KC registrations have halved since their peak ten years ago and, while that doesn't include the many non-registered dogs being bred, it's hopefully indicative of a general trend.

What I find worrying now is the huge increase in popularity of brachycephalic breeds with little awareness of how desperately deformed these dogs are.

charlestrenet · 08/01/2017 17:42

When I see them I want to do like sick boy and Renton did in the park to that guy and his dog.

Soubriquet · 08/01/2017 17:44

Ah yes Pugs are on the rise and they are getting worse and worse with their noses

OrlandaFuriosa · 08/01/2017 17:45

It's madness. And people think labradors are just lapradors. No they're not. But border collies make me weep.

Mind you, we have a jrt. He has, however, always been a wuss, since birth, and prefers his comfy urban environment, the park he knows rather than going rabbiting over fields. Puddles? mud? No way. Please cawwy me...

Yura · 08/01/2017 17:46

Completely agree! I grew up with working dogs (hunting terriers, brown Labrador, hunting bred dachshund, and an Irish wolfhound) and while we had them as pets, they accompanied my dad to building sites most days (architect, specialising on roads, leisure areas etc, so hours of walking), went for a 30 min walk with me in the morning and a minimum 1 hour walk with my mum in the evening. Plus lots of playing (ball, tug of war) with me after their evening walk. It kept three very outdoorsy people busy to keep them entertained (we had mostly 2 at a time). Plus a really big garden. We loved it, but they were hard work. My parents are now in their early 70s and don't have dogs anymore - they kind of dogs they love are way to much to handle for even two very fit pensioners!

MiaowTheCat · 08/01/2017 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

charlestrenet · 08/01/2017 17:47

Toboldly do you mean pugs? If so yes, it's horrible that owning a deformed animal has become a fashion statement.

Yura · 08/01/2017 17:48

Add on: all our dogs also had very long lifes -between 13 and 18 years, so we must have done something right. And they were are trained well.

Boogers · 08/01/2017 17:50

Can I just ask why pugs are deformed? Blush DD loves pugs and is desperate for us to get one (definite no!) but I didn't realise there were issues with them.

TallulahBetty · 08/01/2017 17:52

Totally agree. My friend's parents got a collie from a puppy farm. It went days without being walked at all, and ended up savage as she was bored and loney. She was then rehomed. They had done absolutely no research whatsoever beforehand. EVERY dog needs at least one walk a day. Working dogs need 2+. This one went days without anything. Made me so angry but they wouldn't listen to anyone Angry

TrionicLettuce · 08/01/2017 17:53

Boogers these are some of the health issues that a very high proportion of pugs suffer from as a direct result of the shape they've been bred into:

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome

Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome

Hemivertebrae

Skin Fold Dermatitis

Birdsgottafly · 08/01/2017 17:54

You'd have to have a narrower definition of "working breeds".

I've had German Shepherds and I know people with JRs, as well of a long list of British/European breeds, which can have their needs met.

I totally agree with Collies and Huskeys. I live in an area were Huskeys were bought by people who just about walk to the local chippy/offy. Alongside the fashion dogs, many used to keep Marmoset Monkeys, as well.

It's been a topic many times, but we need breeding controls.

Soubriquet · 08/01/2017 17:54

Pugs are badly inbred now

They used to have a squashed nose back in the days of yore, but never this bad

The amount of pugs who need surgery to open their nostrils is stupid

exLtEveDallas · 08/01/2017 17:55

The Mutt is a collie / springer / something cross. She's calmed down now (she's 7) but oh my God the first three years... 3 walks a day, two off lead haring around the fields and bringing me 'stuff' (dead stuff, rotting stuff, puke inducing stuff). Super intelligent too - we used to hide things all over the house for her to find. She didn't sit still for a minute.

She's down to two walks now, one on lead and is happy to just cuddle up to us in the evening.

We knew what to expect when we got her (been around working dogs for years), so adjusted our lives accordingly. Drives me mad when people have working dogs expecting them to be little more than house pets. So many of them end up in Rescues and pounds Sad

Pinkheart5915 · 08/01/2017 17:55

We do have a husky and we did put a lot of effort in to researching the breed before we got our dog and we make sure he gets more than enough exercise each day and we've got a fairly large garden as well so his not short of space and I'm home the majority of the time.

But I do see your point I got friends that have a husky but the live in a 1 bedroom flat, and work full time and you can tell even when visiting them that the dog is bored. For a husky that is no life

Soubriquet · 08/01/2017 17:56

And yes I used to have JRT... he was a complete wuss

He used to ride in a dog buggy because he hated walking. He would sit down and refuse to move if he needed a walk.

His idea of heaven was to sleep all day on the sofa.

Lazy sod